Full Heart. Empty Suitcase(s).
Aloha family a me friends,
Met a guy on the subway who told us "there is no way there are mormon missionaries in New York City, this is THE most wordly place" and I looked at him and was like "well, hi my name is Sister Ellis and I'm a missionary in NYC, nice to meet you". Haha. In a place that is so engulfed in the world, I can say I have had some of the most spiritual experiences of my life. In a place that you can come and meet people from hundreds of countries, I am leaving the country.
*wait. what*.
Yes. I did just say that I am leaving the country. No, not figureatively. And no this is not a Halloween trick. I'm being dead serious. I'll be island hopping from Manhattan down to BERMUDA (part of the UK) tomorrow morning and will stay there for the next 6 months and needless to say...I. Am. Stoked. :-) Never thought I would be getting on a plane again for another nine months. Never thought I would be leaving the country when I got called to a state-side mission. Never thought I would escape the New York Winter. Never thought it would be so hard to leave the city and the people that I have grown to love with all my heart.
My heart took a toll when we told our friend Aari, who we've been working with for two transfers. We told her on Thursday and she was like "they made a mistake. you can't leave". Then on Sunday, during dinner with a senior couple, she runs over to her bag and comes back with an Urban Outfitter package and I'm like what is going on. And she goes: "The first day on the bus when you told me you liked my bag so I decided to get you one just like mines". I was so speechless. I love her so much. My heart is so full :')
I've come to the realization that the hardest part of missionary work really is leaving the people. Not to say that the other aspects of missionary work are easy. Because they really arent. But for some reason, having to leave Harlem has been SO bittersweet. Like Mormon, "I do make a record of the things which I have seen with mine own eyes" (3 Nephi 5:17) and like Nephi "my soul delighteth in the things of the Lord; and my heart pondereth continually upon the things which I have seen and heard" (2 Nephi 4:16). My heart is so full. Full of gratitude for my time spent in Harlem and full of gratitude for the opportunity my Lord has given me to serve in my new area. I truly know the only way to genuine and true happiness is through following His commandments and serving the Lord.
So either the Lord and President Teuscher have a lot of trust in me to send me down to Bermuda...or President Teuscher is just crazy. Probably a bit of both haha. But let's hope I don't get lost in the Bermuda triangle tomorrow ;)
But as of right now I have a full heart and an empty suitcase.
 |
| Last District Council Picture! |
 |
| Halloween party! We went as triplets haha |
 |
| The Milla family <3 |
Randoms:
1) Remember how we made a basketball video for our returning member friend, Kevin so he would respond to us? Update. He eventually did. It's been pulling teeth to actually get him to meet with us. Thursday we told him I was leaving. Then Friday, Saturday, and Sunday we saw him. He said: "I'm so sad. I can't believe youre leaving. You're the one who found me on the bus and brought me back". :/ (also update we made a rap for him. filming will be happening today haha)
2) Last night, we had Sister Teuscher's (our mission presidents wife) father, Elder John H. Groberg aka Kolipoki from "The Other Side of Heaven" spoke to us. So cool.
3) Few weeks ago I met a lady named Jennifer on the bus. We gave her a Book of Mormon last Tuesday. This Thursday we go over and she tells us that she was flipping through the Book of Mormon and found a passage that really spoke to her and answered the 2 concerns that she has had and told me "the timing that you met me on the bus could not have been more perfect. If you met me a few months ago I would have never let you guys over". By divine design :)
4) One of the most prepared people I have met. Ana. She is on date for December 1. And halfways through our lesson with her on Thursday she points at me and goes "Youre not going to be here for my baptism!". I do not even know how she knew. It was crazy. Haha.
5) One day our zone initiative was to ask 16 people for deaf referrals and the ASL missionaries promised we would find a new person to teach. On the way we found 3 deaf people. Got contact info for one of them. And found two super prepared people that night. Missionary promises. They're real listen to em.
6) We had our PRIM(E)ary program yesterday at church. Perfect day for our people to come to church and a great reminder of how we should all act.
7) Update on my companions: Sister Lowe will be training (hopefully her trainee can run cuz we've been running to appointments a lot lately). Sister Kurokawa wore her dress on backwards all Sunday. She also #DanJonesNYC on the corner of 125th and Malcolm X. So proud :')
Me ke aloha,
Sister Ellis
Believe, Love, Do